A simple side dish of quinoa and blanched kale that is enhanced in flavor with Creole seasoning. Use Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning®; it is the best available!
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 45 mins |
| Additional Time: | 15 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 15 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 1 loaf day-old Italian bread
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest (Optional)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease or spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Slice the bread into 16 slices using a sharp knife. Save the ends to use in another dish, or discard. Arrange the bread slices in the prepared baking pan. Tuck strawberry slices between and around the bread.
- Whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar, lemon zest, almond extract, and salt together until well combined.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread slices. Press down on the top of the bread to help the egg absorb; it’s okay if a little is in the bottom of the pan. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the bread is firm when gently pressed and the top is crispy and golden, 45 to 55 minutes.
- You can use 2% or whole milk.
- If you are making this the night before, cover the pan with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Let the pan stand on the counter while you are preheating the oven.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 406 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 52 g |
| Cholesterol | 211 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Sodium | 628 mg |
| Sugars | 9 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Seems like the secret is to make it the day before and refrigerate until baking the next morning. We thought it was delicious, rated it company worthy.
I think this would act like a bread pudding where it’s best to let it set overnight so the bread can soak up the custard mixture to prevent it from being soggy so I’m surprised that the recipe instructions doesn’t state it. This definitely takes care of that.
This was soooo soggy, I followed the directions, listening to other people’s changes. I opted out of using heavy cream. Still was soggy. I dipped each piece and then poured over. I wish that I would have brown each side of bread in pan then place in casserole dish, pour a small amount over. Cuz as strawberries warm they produce juices. Anyways, so if you like flan then that is the consistency of the bread you will get. Just to much egg vs bread, maybe 6 eggs instead of 8. I will try this again. For a better results very tasty. Also I added cinnamon and nutmeg. To this mix! I used a strawberry simple syrup. For drizzle flavor yummmm
It was good, but I couldn’t tell if the egg mixture on the bread deeper in the pan was cooked. It was pretty wet. I baked it for 55 minutes in a convection oven.
Delicious!
.
We love it and you can add any fruit and flavor like nutmeg. But the bottom slices were very moist not sure if I like that.
It was just ok for my family. It looked pretty, but it just wasn’t as good as regular French toast.
This was so soggy. Kids, husband and self couldn’t eat it. It was a waste of ingredients. So sad. I tried to take individual pieces and fry them on a pan but it was unsalvageable. Don’t waste your time and money on this one. I wanted to love it but it was worse than I expected even with other reviews warning how soggy it is. More baking time did not help either.
It needs cinnamon and nutmeg
This recipe is like many of the reviews said, a soggy mess! It needs to be made in bigger pan where the liquid has a chance to bake and absorb equally on the bread. As is, the top is too crispy and the bottom is too soggy. It was my first time trying something like this with strawberry syrup and that made this recipe eatable.
I loved irt! I would put in more strawberries next time and I didn’t put the confectioner’s sugar on top. I will do that next time.
smelled awesome while it was cooking did not taste the best Oh well on to the next one
Just FYI for people complaining of soggyness… it is best to let it sit overnight in the fridge so all the liquid can soak into the bread…30 mins is not nearly enough time…thats why there is so much liquid. Just make it right before bed then pop in over in the morning!
I agree with those that say saturating the bread with the entire mixture will result in a soggy mess. I dipped each slice of bread into the egg mixture and then poured about 1 1/2 cups over the bread in the casserole dish. I then baked it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes checked it and added 10 minutes after that. That turned out perfect.
I didn’t put in strawberries. It was really good, but could use a bit more almond extract. I also sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar before I baked it. It made enough for at least one more meal!
Cooked it 5 minutes extra. Added a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Excellent!
Strawberries were soggy and the French toast mixture did not cook well on the bread.
Excellent! Everybody loved it and wants it again. A little healthier w/o the sugar and heavy cream.
Very tasty, but also very soggy in the middle. I enjoyed it, my wife did not.
As with most who have made this, it was soggy. With that much liquid there is no way to cook this enough without frying the tops. I liked the idea but can’t do the soggy. If someone knows how to avoid this outcome I would be interested in making it again.